1. Field on the Invention
The invention relates to a buoyancy stirrup, flexibly attached to the deck of a kayak, in particular an inflatable buoyancy stirrup always fully or partially inflated while carried on the deck of a kayak; permitting immediate deployment in the water, on either side of the kayak, having sufficient buoyancy for the kayaker to step out of the water to re-enter the kayak or to raise the body out of cold water to prevent death by hypothermia. The buoyancy stirrup cannot capsize the kayak in waves due to a non-rigid attachment to the kayak and bulky, lightweight items may be stowed inside by means of an air-tight closure mechanism.
2. Prior Art
Kayakers have experimented with a rigid kayak paddle having a float on the end of the paddle farthest from the kayak. The other end of the paddle is rigidly attached to the kayak deck and a long sling of rope or webbing is then wound around the paddle shaft close to the kayak or around the cockpit coaming. The float creates a lever out of the paddle for a secure step for the paddler's foot. However paddle shafts have been broken by means of this lever. Also the float rises in waves and recapsizes the paddler on the opposite side by means of this rolling lever, created in waves. The set up of paddle, float and sling takes many minutes. It does not stabilize the kayak in waves but can capsize the kayak by means of the lever created.
Sick, injured, or disabled paddlers cannot swim out of the water to reenter the kayak without the assistance of a step which allows use of the powerful leg muscles. The step device cannot provide a means to re-capsize the kayak or place the kayaker in an unstable position while retrieving the paddle, float and sling, in the same rough conditions of the initial capsize. The only means to stabilize a kayak is provided by Kayak Safety Sponsons with flotation on both sides of the kayak, enabling the kayaker to paddle to safety with capsize protection if the sponsons are left deployed, even without a functional pump or sprayskirt and with a flooded cockpit. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,196)
It is desireable to have a means for a sick, injured, or disabled paddler to step out of the water immediately while deploying kayak safety sponsons to stabilize the kayak and while using other safety equipment. It is desirable to enable a kayaker to step immediately out of cold water by means of an inflatable buoyancy stirrup with sufficient buoyancy, as carried on the deck of the kayak, to provide a secure step. The shape and buoyancy of this device enables severely disabled paddlers to create a stable platform lying on both the device and the kayak deck, the stirrup and the paddler's arms entwined in kayak deck rigging preventing the paddler from falling into the water again. It is desireable that the buoyancy stirrup stow lightweight, bulky items in such small craft as kayaks, in order to encourage the public to carry a safety device on their kayak at all times. It is desireable that this safety device have a means to attach pouches for other safety equipment, in order to organize and not forget a sea anchor, flares and radio. It is desireable that this safety device have a variety of flexible attachment points to the kayak in order to best enable paddlers with different disabilities to step out of the water or re-enter the kayak. It is desireable to have flexible, not rigid attachment to the kayak to avoid recapsize of the kayak, whichever side of the kayak the buoyancy stirrup is deployed.